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New Atlantean Elite Force
New Atlantean Elite Force units are special troops in the New Atlantean military, hand-picked from some of the best soldiers and specifically trained to use advanced equipment. They are perhaps most well-known for their usage of power armour, which has earned them the nickname Suits. Deployment Elite Force units are used in a similar fashion to SpecOps in that they are front line troops. They are often seen as the 'heavy lifters' of the New Atlantean army. Elite Force troopers work in squadrons or fireteams, much like regular soldiers, and generally operate alongside standard ground troops. Contrary to popular belief, Elite Force troopers do not exclusively operate in power armour. Partly due to the costs of the equipment, and partly due to the cumbersome armour being unsuited for many situations, Elite Force troopers often fight in regular gear. Power armour is rarely employed on typical battlefields, and are primarily deployed in locations requiring extravehicular suits. This is because EV suits are more easily damaged, and a punctured suit in battle can be a major liability. Thus, Elite Force units are used heavily for such environments. Elite Force troopers are not to be confused with the Special Forces branch of the New Atlantean military, which includes Velconi SpecOps and Stalkers from the Velconum Empire as well as Irini SpecOps and Commandos. Elite Force units are specialized ground troops, but do not carry out black ops missions, which are conducted by the Special Forces branch. As such, they are not given the clearance levels of Special Forces members, instead carrying the clearance appropriate to their rank, as regular infantry do. Training Unlike Velconi SpecOps, who are also selected from exceptional soldiers, Elite Force units do not undergo any genetic augmentation or physically intense training courses. Instead, Elite Force training mainly centers around the use of their equipment, teaching the soldiers how to operate and maintain power armour, mechs, drop pods and other technology they have to work with. As a result, Elite Force troopers are not much different from regular ground troops when issued the same gear; they are essentially just more technologically adept soldiers. Trivia *Elite Force troopers were introduced in Rebels as a way to counter the scientifically advanced and often suit-wearing forces of the Sanctum. *The use of drop pods by Elite Force troopers was inspired by the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) from the Halo franchise. ODSTs were introduced in the second game of the franchise, but were present canonically in the first game, albeit wearing standard gear. Similarly, the Elite Force was established alongside the rest of the New Atlantean military, and Elite Force troopers canonically took part in the events of Black Hearts: Darkness Rising, though they did not make use of their signature power armour and just dressed like regular marines. *The power armour utilized by the Elite Force is named "Pongo," which is the genus of apes commonly known as orangutans. This is in line with the human naming scheme of armoured suits in Black Hearts, such as the SEG-338 "Kong." Pongo is also 19th century British slang for "soldier." Appearances #Black Hearts: Rebels Category:New Atlantean Military